This Grapefruit Spicy Margarita recipe is perfect for sipping on summer days! Made with just 5-ingredients!
Can’t get enough margarita recipes? Try my Hibiscus Margarita, Grilled Pineapple Margarita, and Italian Margarita too!
It seems really easy to come up with a good reason to have a cocktail, right?
- It’s 5 o’clock
- It’s sunny outside
- It’s the weekend (cheers to the freakin’ weekend)
- The season premiere of Real Housewives is on
- Etc., etc., etc.
I’m going to give you a few more reason to delight in this particular cocktail – It’s super easy to make, it’s spicy and it’s totally refreshing!
It’s a Spicy Grapefruit Margarita.
This spicy margarita recipe skips the time consuming step of infusing the tequila with habanero. Instead, all of the heat comes from a delicious simple syrup that comes together easily in just 10 minutes.
To make the spicy margaritas, just add a bit of it to a cocktail shaker along with the tequila, grapefruit juice and a splash of triple sec. Rim your glass with some salt (I LOVE using these easy to make citrus salts), pour out your concoction, top it with some extra ice and you are good to go!
No fancy ingredients, no time consuming steps, no excuses NOT to make this delicious Spicy Grapefruit Margarita.
Spicy Grapefruit Margarita ingredients:
- Tequila
- Grapefruit Juice
- Simple Syrup
- Triple Sec
- Habanero
Tips for making it:
- The finished habanero simple syrup will keep, refrigerated, for about 2 weeks. Try using it in any cocktail that calls for simple syrup, or add it to lemonade.
- You can control the heat of the simple syrup by letting the habanero steep for a longer or shorter period of time before straining it. Just give it a taste and adjust to your personal preference.
- Want no spice at all? Just make the simple syrup without steeping the pepper in it.
- You can also swap out the habanero for jalapeno or serrano pepper.
What’s the difference between a Paloma and a Grapefruit Margarita?
- A grapefruit margarita is normally sweetened with a bit of triple sec, like a traditional margarita. A paloma is made with grapefruit juice, tequila and a bit of soda water to give it some fizz. Check out my paloma cocktail recipe too!
If you loved this Spicy Grapefruit Margarita recipe I would appreciate it so much if you would give it star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
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More margarita recipes
- St. Germain Margarita
- Hibiscus Margarita
- Grilled Pineapple Margarita with Jalapeno
- Italian Margarita with Amaretto
Grapefruit Habanero Margarita
Ingredients
Simple Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 habanero (sliced)
Margarita
- 2 ounces tequila
- 2 ounces ruby red grapefruit juice
- 1 ounce triple sec
- 1 ounce spicy simple syrup
- Salt (for rimming the glasses (I like to use citrus salts))
- Lime wedges (for rimming the glasses)
Instructions
Simple Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Heat over high heat, stirring so that the sugar dissolves into the water. The mixture will go from milky white to clear. At this point, add the sliced habanero.
- Allow the mixture to come to a rapid boil, and then immediately turn the heat down so it just simmers. Let it simmer for 10 minutes, and then remove from the heat. The syrup will reduce and thicken slightly, and will take on a slightly orange tint.
- Allow the syrup to cool (about 30 minutes). Remove the pepper pieces and any stray floating seeds, and discard them.
Margarita
- Run a lime wedge along the lip of your glass and dip in salt to cover the rim. Combine the tequila, grapefruit juice, triple sec and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Shake to combine and strain into a salted margarita glass. Add ice cubes and serve.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in June 2015. It was updated in May 2021 to add new photographs. The original recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
Those look great!
Thanks Bill! They’re pretty darn tasty – Easy to drink more than one… or two… or…
Yum!!! I want to try this!
Perfect for hot summer nights Susannah!
Not a big drinker, but that looks amazingly tasty (replacing the alcohol with sprite)… and refreshing!
That would totally work – Faux cocktails are just as yummy!
Great recipe! Pinned and yummed!
Thanks Richa – These margaritas are perfect for summer!
If I close my eyes, I can almost taste the tangy, spicy flavor in my mouth. What a great cocktail recipe.
The habanero and grapefruit make a great combination for hot summer nights!!!
this sounds wonderful! I would love it if you would link it up to tipsy tuesday at Grey is the New Black!
I love grapefruit and I’m a huge magarita fan, so I can’t imagine a better summer drink:) Now, if only I would finally buy those citrus salts – I could finally make a fabulous margarita at home instead of just ordering them every time I go out for drinks.
Laura – Don’t buy the citrus salts! Make them – It’s EASY!!! And, cheap!!!
[…] Grapefruit Habanero Margarita – Platings and Pairings […]
Hiii….!!
This is Neeraj from F and B Stories. First of all, I would like to thank you for sharing such a delicious recepie, The habanero and grapefruit make a great combination for hot summer, and They are just amazing, delicious, and yumm….!!
it looks soo simple but it was superb…..
keep sharing
cheers 🙂
Thanks Neeraj!
Hi Erin! Great recipe! I cannot wait to serve it at my next get-together!
A big fan of your recipes and i am very comfortable with them as well. Easy and nicely described. Thanks once again.